Adams Joins Williams Staff

4/8/2013

International programs have been added to the Williams Baptist College framework, and with them a new face can also be seen around the campus. Adam Adams, a native of Troy, Mo., recently arrived at Williams as the Director of International Programs.

Adams’ extensive educational background has helped to prepare him for work with international students. He received his B.A. in French from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., his M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Union University in Jackson, Tenn., and his M.Div. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Cal.

Adams also has professional certification as an adult English as a second language (ESL) instructor, which he received through the University of Cambridge.

An avid traveler, Adams has been to 34 countries. He has visited much of Western Europe, including a semester spent in France his senior year of college. Adams taught English in Eastern and Southern Africa for two-and-a-half years after he completed college and has also traveled through a considerable amount of south and Southeast Asia.

“I have learned a lot from traveling,” said Adams. “I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had to travel. I would encourage all WBC students to consider going on an international trip. It has really changed my view of the world.”

One important function of the international programs will be to work closely with current international students and prospective international students. Adams will help the students meet specific government requirements for eligibility to study in the United States.

Once international students arrive on campus, Adams will help them acclimate to life in Walnut Ridge and will continue to guide them throughout their stay at Williams.

“I hope to get churches and community businesses involved in the lives of the international students,” stated Adams. “It would be great to have help preparing care packages for them for their arrival on campus, care packages with such things as sheets, laundry detergent and snacks.”

Adams also hopes the program will help US students take the initiative in interacting with international students on campus. “I know when I first started meeting people from other countries, I allowed myself to focus on how different we were. I have since learned that where a person is from is less important than who they are as an individual,” said Adams.

“It is important to recognize that we have more things in common with our friends from around the world than things that are different. Focusing on areas of common ground and building our friendship on common ground will help us carefully learn about our different cultures in a friendly and respectful way.”

Adams believes he is a better person as a result of the experiences he had with people from other cultures. For him, these experiences began in college and he is excited to help increase that same opportunity for WBC students as more internationals come to study on our campus.

“I am excited to see the Williams campus live out Jesus’ command to ‘love thy neighbor’ when their neighbor has jet lag, misses their family, doesn’t recognize any of the food on their plate and is learning to communicate in a new language,” he concluded.